In this study, a modified stainless steel (SS) mesh was used to selectively separate both light and heavy oils from oil/water mixtures. The first layer consisted of polydopamine (PDA). The rigid building blocks of Na2SiO3 and N-TiO2 were formed on the SS/PDA surface, resulting in the SS/PDA/Na2SiO3/N-TiO2 mesh. Modified meshes were characterized using FESEM/EDX, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, underwater oil contact angle, and underoil water contact angle methods. The results revealed that the underoil superhydrophobic and underwater superoleophobic coated mesh could selectively remove both heavy and light oils from water for up to twenty repeated cycles, with high separation efficiencies of 94% and 98%, respectively. The modified mesh demonstrated high photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue within 240 min under UV-A illumination. This specially designed membrane offers the benefit of selectively separate heavy and light oils from oil/water mixtures without the need for external stimuli. Furthermore, it exhibits photo-responsive characteristics and can effectively degrade pollutants when exposed to UV-A light. Therefore, the coated mesh can show significant promise for industrial applications.
